# rant for the day



## Michigan_Moose (Oct 11, 2011)

So over the last few weeks I have been looking into the Founder’s KBS, Kentucky Breakfast Stout. This is a very hard to get beer, however it is just amazing to me. I had my first the other night and wrote a small but to the point review on it. So, later last night, Loki and I went out to find for more. We found some at a nice party store in Clarkston, MI. They wanted a bit more than the MSRP of what Founders Brewing sells it for of $5.00 per bottle. The store wanted $7.99 a bottle, well I understand supply and demand but I was completely taken off guard when today Loki got a call from Alex’s Market in Holly, MI saying they got it in and wanted $20.00 a bottle…….. My jaw dropped. Really $20.00 a bottle? Not for a 4 pack but per 12 oz bottle. I am just shocked at how people can just gouge others like this. If this was a private seller I would understand but a store that already pays less than MSRP of $5.00 per bottle, to me this is just silly. I can tell you I will never give this guy business again. To me beer is about enjoyment not gouging the common man in a bad economy for something you have for sale. Join with me if you agree, if not I understand, just my rant for the day.
So over the last few weeks I have been looking into the Founder’s KBS, Kentucky Breakfast Stout. This is a very hard to get beer, however it is just amazing to me. I had my first the other night and wrote a small but to the point review on it. So, later last night, Loki and I went out to find for more. We found some at a nice party store in Clarkston, MI. They wanted a bit more than the MSRP of what Founders Brewing sells it for of $5.00 per bottle. The store wanted $7.99 a bottle, well I understand supply and demand but I was completely taken off guard when today Loki got a call from Alex’s Market in Holly, MI saying they got it in and wanted $20.00 a bottle…….. My jaw dropped. Really $20.00 a bottle? Not for a 4 pack but per 12 oz bottle. I am just shocked at how people can just gouge others like this. If this was a private seller I would understand but a store that already pays less than MSRP of $5.00 per bottle, to me this is just silly. I can tell you I will never give this guy business again. To me beer is about enjoyment not gouging the common man in a bad economy for something you have for sale. Join with me if you agree, if not I understand, just my rant for the day.


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## Oldmso54 (Jul 31, 2010)

Can I agree with the first paragraph and dis agree with the second paragraph??? J/K - I bet the one guy doesn't sell very many at $20 a bottle! Makes that $7.99 not look too bad though. 

But yes Moose - $20 a bottle for a a $5 beer is SHAMEFUL!


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## Guest (Mar 20, 2012)

Sounds like it's time to take up home brewing!


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

Pale Horse said:


> Sounds like it's time to take up home brewing!


Not a bad idea


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## Packerjh (Nov 29, 2009)

Dude... I can get a good bottle of bourbon for that price...I know what I'd prefer!


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## DarrelMorris (Feb 7, 2012)

I normally would say that they have the right to ask whatever they want for their product, however this is just stupid. I don't blame you for not wanting to give them any more of your business. It might even be worthwhile to contact the brewer. Retailers like that give them a bad name. They may just decide to cut them off and not sell them their beer anymore.


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## Desertlifter (Feb 22, 2011)

For $20 a bottle I'd better not be the only one doing the swallowing....


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## Packerjh (Nov 29, 2009)

Desertlifter said:


> For $20 a bottle I'd better not be the only one doing the swallowing....


Roflmfao


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## Michigan_Moose (Oct 11, 2011)

Hello Brent!
We can only set the price for what we sell out beer to the wholesalers for. WE have no control over price gouging, but we can only discourage it. We do send information to our wholesalers when we find out about a specific retailer jacking up the price. I will pass this along to our sales team.

Thanks for the heads up. I am glad you were able to purchase a 4 pack for the amount that it is meant to be sold at. 

Cheers!

Michelle Stevenson | HR
Founders Brewing Company


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## android (Feb 27, 2012)

man, what a crock. that guy is gonna have bottles of KBS sitting on his shelves for decades, and he probably won't store it properly.


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## Michigan_Moose (Oct 11, 2011)

and more followup.

Hi Brent,

Thanks for getting your question to us and thanks for framing it as a question instead of an accusation which we tend to see a bit more often.

To answer your query about how the price of our beer is determined and who is responsible for the price to consumer directly:

We sell our beer to local distributors in each of our territories at a set price. 

Then the distributor sells it to each of their accounts (stores, bars etc...) at our suggested retail price for that transaction. Our distributor in your area- Rave Associates- does an exceptional job managing our beer and does not sell our beer for more than they should. 

At that time, legally, the retail account owns the beer and can set it at any price they wish- both lower or higher than their cost.

This is termed the "three tier system" - supplier to distributor to retail. 

It is is our hope that the retail accounts use discretion on their pricing for the consumer.

There has been a rise in "price gouging" across the board for a lot of popular and rarer beers from breweries such as ours as you have no doubt noticed. The demand is such that some places have been able to ramp up prices and fetch the price in their stores. After all supply and demand is still the backbone of economics.

Of course we do not advocate this gouging. Our only recourse however is to speak with the accounts...attempt to convince them to set the price within normal parameters...and then ultimately if they are unwilling to listen we and the local distributor in tandem consider cutting future allocations of the product to the retail account.

We also encourage customers to look elsewhere for their Founders needs as you have done and eventually this catches up with places who try to keep their doors open.

Thats the whole ball of wax summed up for you.

So in light of the info you have provided us with we will now start the process with the particular account you mentioned.

So thanks for the help and we are all on the case!

On a personal note....thanks so much for keeping up with Founders and being interested in and drinking our beer. We have a wonderful family and now you are part of it. 

If you ever have any future questions please use this address to get in touch with me. 

Thanks for the kind review of one of our faves as well. We are glad you enjoyed the beer and I will pass it on to the brewers.

We'll keep making the beer and hounding folks to keep prices reasonable....you just sit back and enjoy life with a Founders in your hand.


Regards,

Beau Loncharte
Great State of Michigan Sales Manager


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## pittjitsu (Mar 30, 2012)

You cant get better results from a rant than this! You got the company's attention, congrats!


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## Booyaa (Nov 6, 2010)

It is plainly wrong, hopefully something is done about it.


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## Cmdio (Apr 30, 2012)

I too love KBS. Haven't managed to pick up any this year, but I was pretty pissed when the "buzz" got so big around this stuff. I have classmates who don't even really like craft beer show up at parties with rare micro stuff and the just spend the whole night bragging about how hard it is to find. This was mainly with hop slam this year, but they did it with KBS last year


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## aea6574 (Jun 5, 2009)

Sounds like the company really cares about their customers. 

Of course now I want to go find some.

Best regards, Tony


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## Michigan_Moose (Oct 11, 2011)

I have 2 bottles good luck in your hunt for some


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## aea6574 (Jun 5, 2009)

Michigan_Moose said:


> I have 2 bottles good luck in your hunt for some


Tried three places today with no luck. Well at least I have something else to be on the lookout along with DFH120 and Pappy.

Best regards, Tony


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## Cmdio (Apr 30, 2012)

I've got a go to spot that I guess people don't realize has craft beer. I haven't been able to check it out yet, but I'm in study lockdown for the next several days, so I'll give you a heads up. It's a bit of a hike for you based on your location but if you work downtown or across town it's not really out of your way. There's a little party/ liquor store on 11 mile just west of I75. There's a tacobell and a gas station right there. North side of 11 mile. Don't know the name, but it looks like any random party store. If it's not on the shelves they still might have it in back somewhere.

Last year they still had hopslam when none could be found anywhere else in metro detroit. They had one sixer in the cooler, and when I said "I wish you guys had more" they said they had two cases in the cooler and were willing to sell me both of them. It was a good score.

And you let me know if you find any Pappy anywhere.


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